
Two players, who will no longer play for the Black and Reds next season, face each other twice in five days in European Championship qualifiers: Captain Elisa Senß, who is set to play for Eintracht Frankfurt, and Germany start Group A4 at home on 31 May and away on 4 June against Poland with striker Nikola Karczewska, whose loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur is over. Germany have started the qualifiers with a perfect six points. Poland, who lost both of their first games, also have Sylwia Matysik in their squad for the games on matchdays 3 and 4.
The Iceland international Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir is in the same group away and then at home to Austria. Iceland have three points to date. Hungary, with one point from two games, play away and then at home to Switzerland in League B1 with central defender Lilla Turányi in the squad.






Two Leverkusen players have been called up to the Germany U20 squad. Sofie Zdebel has support within the team from Loreen Bender, who is set to make her debut at a higher age group following seven appearances and five goals for the U19s. The squad under coach Kathrin Peter will meet up in Sweden to prepare for the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup (31 August 22 September in Colombia). Friendlies have been arranged every three days with matches against the U23 teams from Poland, Australia and Sweden.
The Germany U19 squad will get together at a training camp in Bad Blankenburg from 27 to 30 May in preparation for the European Championships in Lithuania (14 to 27 July). That includes a Bayer 04 quintet: Goalkeeper Anne Moll, Paulina Bartz, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Julia Mickenhagen and Delice Boboy. No international fixtures have been organised. Julie Jorde is away with the Norway U23 squad. A friendly against an unnamed opponent is planned for 31 May. Her teammates Emilie Bragstad and Synne Skinnes Hansen are on standby for the senior team who play Italy in two Euro qualifiers.
The international call-ups:
Elisa Senß (Germany)
31.05.: Germany vs Poland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Poland vs Germany (Euro qualifier)
Nikola Karczewska and Sylwia Matysik (Poland)
31.05.: Germany vs Poland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Poland vs Germany (Euro qualifier)
Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir (Iceland)
31.05.: Austria vs Iceland (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Iceland vs Austria (Euro qualifier)
Lilla Turányi (Hungary)
31.05.: Switzerland vs Hungary (Euro qualifier)
04.06.: Hungary vs Switzerland (Euro qualifier)
Loreen Bender and Sofie Zdebel (Germany U20s)
29.05.: Poland U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
01.06.: Australia U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
04.06.: Sweden U23 vs Germany (Friendly)
Paulina Bartz, Delice Boboy, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Julia Mickenhagen, Anne Moll (all Germany U19s)
27.05. – 30.05.: Training camp in Bad Blankenburg
Julie Jorde (Norway U23s)
31.05.: Friendly (opponents to be confirmed)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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